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index.cpd

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Item Description

Title

Community

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image/jpeg

File Name

yearb_2005_164.jpg

Transcript

Story by Jenna McManus
Denis Rader's
arrest ended one of
the longest
unsolved reigns of
serial killing in
American history.
The subsequent
trial made weeks of
national headlines.
or decades the BTK serial killer ran loose over Wichita, Kan., leaving many to
ponder his existence in fear. He taunted authorities and the media over the years
with letters and packages, some of which included the before and after pictures
of his victims.
Denis Rader, 60, proclaimed himself the "BTK killer" which stood for "bind,
torture and kill!' From 1974 to 1991 Rader stalked out his victims and then
preyed on them through torturous acts before inevitably killing them. In his
chilling testimony, Rader accounted for every one of his 10 victims in explicit
detail down to the exact date. Rader explained to the court that he selected
victims to play out his sexual fantasies, referring to them as his "projects". He
also told the court he had prepared a "hit kit" which was devised of equipment
he used in the killings, as well as "hit clothes" that he wore and later got rid of.
Rader's arrest came as a shock to the residents of Wichita. He was a former
Boy Scout leader and had been involved in church leadership for 30 years. Just
before his arrest, Rader was elected to church council.
"During the day, in their waking hours, many of these people are married
family men. They're - of course, we know of nurses and doctors that have been
serial killers. And when they're not killing patients, they're taking very good
care of them" Candice DeLong, a former FBI profiler, told CNN's Soledad O'Brien.
Rader's attorney, Steve Osburn, said all defenses were considered, but after
experts were called in, it was apparent there was not an adequate case for insanity. Rader could serve 175 years to life, however, he cannot face the death
penalty because Kansas did not reinstate it until 1994, three years after his last
killing.
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